Stringed musical instrument



May 13, 1930 w. .o. SCHMIDT H AL 1,758,626

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 20', 1929 v 4 12 10 Q 14 i o' May 13, 1930. w, sc ET AL 1,758,626

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 20, 1929 's Sheets-Sheet 2 BY g c THE/R A TTORNE Y y 1930. w. o. SCHMIDT Er AL STRINGED MUSICAL I NSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 20 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WWW x. M

THEIR A TTORNE Y Patented May 13, 1930 WALTER O. SCHMIDT, 0F HACKENSACK,

PATENT OFFICE AND CHARLES HABERMAN, OF NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO OSCAR SCHMIDT, INC., OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY STRINGEI) MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed February 20, 1929. Serial No. 341,362.

The invention relates to stringed musical instruments and has more particular" reference to the type known as Hawaiian guitars, which are usually played with the use of picks on the fingers of the right hand, for the melody, and with a so-called steel held in the left hand, for the accompaniment.

It has been found in practice, more particularly in the case of beginners, that the arm manipulating the steel soon becomes tired or cramped, with the result that the pleasure of playing is interfered with, and, in the case of beginners, progress is substantially delayed. Because of this, it has been the object of the present invention to provide the instrument or guitar with a means for supporting the steel in a manner permitting of its manipulation in the playing of the guitar in substantially the same free way as when supported by the players hand, but without strain or effort on the part of the player in the holding or supporting of the same. This object is accomplished, in a preferred form of the invention, by mounting a supporting rod on the instrument in a position above and lengthwise of the strings, and preferably in a manner permitting of its movement transversely of the strings, and on this rod slidably mounting the steel through the medium of a universal joint connection whereby the steel may be freely manipulated for playing engagement with the strings.

Referring to the accompanying drawin s,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a guitar equipped with a playing attachment embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section through line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a similar View showing the steel in a different playing position.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the guitar illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 7 is a cross section through line 77 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the uitar equipped with the invention in a mo ified form and showing in full lines the playing attachment folded back to a lowered inoperative position.

Fig. 9 is an end view of the same showing the playing attachment in raised operative position in full lines and in lowered inopera tive position, corresponding to the full line position of Fig. 8, in dotted lines.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross section on line 10-10 of Fig. 8, showing the playing attachment in raised operative position in full lines.

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the attachment in its lowered inoperative position in full lines.

To explain in detail, the instrument shown is a so-called Hawaiian guitar of usual construction, the same comprising the body portion 2 equipped with strings 3 mounted thereon in usual manner.

In accordance with the invention, a supporting rod 4 is mounted on the body 2 in a position above the strings where they over lie the frets 5; this rod, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, being pivotally mounted for movement in a direction transversely of the strings for a purpose to be presently referred to. As a means for pivotally mounting the rod, the latter is formed at its opposite ends with upturned extensions 6, 6 having short terminals arranged parallel with the rod loosely fitting in the bored upper ends 7, 7 of two bracket arms 8, 8 which latter are fitted at their lower ends in socket pieces 9, 9 in the body 2. These bracket arms 8, 8, which are here shown as being connected with the body 2 at one side of the centrally arranged strings 3, are formed with off-sets in their vertical length in order to position their rod supporting ends or terminals 7, 7 in central position above the strings as shown.

The steel hereinbefore referred to, indicated at 10, has a sliding connection with the rod 4 through the medium of a universal joint connection whereby it may be readily manipulated for playing engagement with the strings. Any suitable connection of the steel with the supporting rod may be employed for this purpose. As here shown, a sleeve 11 is loosely mounted on the rod for longitudinal sliding and turning movements thereon. This sleeve carries a fixedly connected block 12 to which the steel is attached, by means to be presently described, for sliding and pivotal movements relatively thereto.

The steel as here shown is cut away at its center to provide an opening 13 through which the supporting rod 4 extends, whereby thelower edge 19, constituting the steel proper, is in positionbeneath the rod for engagement with the wires, while the upper portion, constituting the handle, is in position above the rod for convenient grasping by the player.

A threaded pin 14, attached to the steel in a position extending vertically across its opening 13, passes loosely through an opening in the block12 to effect a pivotal connection of the steel with said block. A coiled spring surrounding said'pin 14 and expanding between the blockl2and the top wall'of the opening 13in the steel, acts to normallyhold the latter ina raised position spaced from the strings. I v

7 With the steel mounted on the rod 4 in the way shownand described,'the player may grasp the upper part of the steel and readily shift the same for usual playing engagement with anyone or more of the strings, that is, the steel may be shifted lengtliwise ofthe string by a sliding movement on the rod, as indicated by the f ull'and dotted line" positions of the same in Fig. 1 or it may be rocked or tilted on the rod to bring it to an angular position for so-called tippingfof the strings,

. e as shown in Fig. 2; or it maybe moved transversely of the strings by a swinging movement of the rod to permit of its'tipping different strings, as shown in Fig. 4; or it may be moved bodily downwardagainstthe pressure of the spring 15 for simultaneously engaging all of the strings, as in barring, as shown in Fig. 3; or it may be swung horizontally about its vertical pivot 14, as indicated by the dotted line positions in Figfl, for

.? barring the strings across a plurality of frets,

this horizontal turning of the steel also facilitating the manipulation of the same in that it readily adapts itself to the various angular positions assumed by the hand in shifting the steel to its different playing or string engaging positions. I 1

Referring now toFigs. 5, 6 and 7, these show a modification of that feature of the invention comprising the supportof the rod 4.

t.) This rod, asbefore showna'n'd described, is

pivotally supported for movement transversely of the strings. In the modified form, it'is supported for movement in a straight line horizontal plane by means of twoblocks 20,

mounted on the body 2 in a position above the strings by fixed bracket arms'21, 21, said blocks being provided with horizontally ran ging elongated slots 22 through which the rod 4 loosely extends at its opposite ends as shown. With the rod thus supported it obviously is 'mounted in the normaloperative position shown in Figs. 1 to'4 inclusive, they ad'd sub stantially to the height or bulk of tlie'instrument and are accordingly objectionable because of the increased space required, both in .their regular holding cases and also in the boxes or other containers employed in shipping the same. For such reason, it has been found desirable to mount the attachment-on the body 2 insuch mannerth'at'it may be readily shiftedor folded to an inoperative position where it will lie substantially within the maximum dimensions of the instrument itself. To accomplish this, the bracket arms for carrying the rod 4, as shown in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, -are provided with pivotal joints, 30,*just abovethe body 2' of the instrument, permitting of'the upper sections 8 of the arms, togetherwith the supported parts including the rod4 and connected steel 10,t'o be swung or] folded bac'kfrom their normal operative positiomasshown by dotted lines in Figs. 8 and 11 and full lines in Figs. 9 and'10, to a lowered inoperativeposition,

as shown by full lines in Figs. 8 and Hand by dotted lines in Figs. Q'and 10. When the attachment is in this loweredposit'i'on it lies substantially within the vertical dimensions of'the instrument and doesnot require any substantial increase of packing space over that'required for the instrun'ient itself, as will be'clear by reference'to the drawings.

.lVhen the attachment is swung up to its'operative position, it is held in such'position by sleeves 31 slidably mounted on thebracket arms and overlapping bot-h sections'8 and'8 of said arms at their joints 30, such engagement of the arm sections by the sleeves serving to hold the upper one 8 in rigid relation to the lower one 8. When it is desired to fold back the attachment, this may be accomplished by simply raising the sleeves above the 1 joint as shown, whereupon the upper arm sections. and supported-"partsmay be swung or folded back to their lowered inopel' a'tive positions. A pin or projection 32 on each of the lower arm sections 8 serves as a means necting said member with 'the'supporting means whereby it is capable of longitudinal, transverse and tilting movements relatively to the strings.

2. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a string engaging member, supporting means mounted on the instrument, and means comprising a universal joint connecting said member with the supporting means whereby it is capable of tilting movements in both vertical and horizontal planes relatively to the strings.

3. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a string engaging member, supporting means mounted on the instrument, means connecting said member with the support ing means whereby it is capable of tilting movements in both vertical and horizontal planes relatively to the strings, and means yieldingly holding said member in a normal position spaced from the strings.

4. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a supporting bar mounted on the instrument in a position lengthwise of the strings, and a string engaging member mounted on said bar for sliding and tilting movements relatively to the strings.

5. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a supporting bar arranged lengthwise of the strings and mounted for movement in a direction transversely of the latter, and a string engaging member slidably mounted on said bar.

6. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a supporting bar arranged lengthwise of the strings and pivotally mounted for movement in a direction transversely of the latter, and a string engaging member slidably mounted on said bar.

7. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprisin a supporting bar arranged lengthwise of the strings and mounted for movement in a direction transversely of the latter, and a strin engaging member mounted on said bar for longitudinal sliding and transverse ti ting movements.

8. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a supporting bar arranged lengthwise of the strings and mounted for movement in a direction transversely of the latter, and a string engaging member mounted on said bar for longitudinal sliding and transverse tilting movements and also being yieldingly held. on the bar for bodily movement toward and from the strings.

9. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a string engaging member in the form of a straight edged bar of a length suflicient to engage the full set of strings in a direction transversely thereof, and means supporting said member for universal movement relatively to the strings.

10. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a supporting bar arranged lengthwise of the strings and mounted for movement in a direction transversely of the latter, a collar mounted on said bar for sliding and rocking movements, and a string engaging member carried by said collar for movement relatively to the strings.

11. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a supporting bar arranged lengthwise of the strings and mounted for movement in a direction transversely of the latter, a collar mounted on said bar for sliding and rocking movements, and a string engaging member pivoted on said collar with its axis arranged transversely of the bar.

12. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a supporting bar arranged lengthwise of the strings and mounted for movement in a direction transversely of the latter, a collar mounted on said bar for sliding and rocking movements, a string engaging member pivoted on said collar with its axis arranged transversely of the bar, and a spring holding said member in a normal position spaced from the strings.

18. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a string engaging member, and means supporting said member for movement relatively to the strings, said means comprising a pair of pivotally jointed bracket arms, and means for locking and releasing the joints of said arms, for the purpose specitied.

14. In combination with a stringed musical instrument, a playing attachment comprising a string engaging member, and means supporting said member for movement relatively to the strings, said means comprising a pair of pivotally jointed bracket arms, and sleeves slidably mounted on said arms for locking and releasing the pivotal joints of the same, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

WALTER O. SCHMIDT. CHAS. HABERMAN. 

